


The Surprise Dinner Guest

by kulina



Category: Kingdom (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 13:00:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11105067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kulina/pseuds/kulina
Summary: Prompt: "Give me uncle Nate having to look after his niece last minute and bringing her on a date with Will. He apologises profusely because he thinks Will will be disappointed but his eyes just light up at the sight of his big tough boyfriend holding this baby with a nappy bag slung over one shoulder"





	The Surprise Dinner Guest

 

“Hello?” Will asked.

“Hey, it’s me.”

“Hey!”

“Hi. Uh, listen - something came up, and I can’t see you tonight.”

“What?” Will asked, wounded. “What happened?”

Nate sighed. “It’s stupid. It’s not even-”

But Will wasn’t finished. “I have reservations for dinner, and then I thought we could hang out at my place after,” he said sadly. 

Nate was silent for a moment. “Where are they for?”

“The reservations?”

“Yeah.”

“You deciding whether you can come based on food?” Will chuckled. “We can go wherever you want.”

Nate snorted tiredly. “You know that’s not why.”

“Do I?” Will teased.

“Come on. Where are they for?”

“Granville. At seven.”

“The one in-”

“Studio City, yes. I know better than to do WeHo with you.”

Nate remained quiet.

“It’s okay if you can’t,” Will began, but on the other end of the line, Nate shook his head.

“No. No, uh, I’ll - I’ll make it. I’ll… I might be a few minutes late, but I’ll be there.”

Nate could hear the smile in Will’s voice. “Okay. I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay.”

“I love you.”

Nate couldn’t help but smile. “You, too.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.” Nate tucked his phone into his pocket. He looked at the baby to his left, pointed at her, and said softly, “You better not ruin this for me.”

 

* * *

 

 

An hour later, Nate parked and headed into the restaurant with a diaper bag on one shoulder and Maya on the other. God, Will better not laugh at him. 

“I’m meeting someone,” Nate said to the girl at the host stand, but she was too busy gushing over the baby to hear him.

“What a sweet little girl!” she cooed. “Hi, baby! Hi, angel! Hi! What’s your name?”

“Maya,” Nate muttered. “Look, I”m meeting someone-”

“Aw, Maya! Hi, Maya! Look at your little pink dress! So cute!” She turned over her shoulder. “Katie! Hey, Katie! Sarah, you too! Come see this baby!” 

“Oh my god! What’s her name?”

“Maya,” the first girl told her.

“Maaaya!” the other two crooned in unison. 

“Aw! I just love her so much!”

“She’s _so_ cute.”

“Look at her cheeks!”

“Can I hold her?”

Nate’s eyes widened. No, no way. No one was allowed to hold her. Maya was his. Well - not really, but it felt like it sometimes. A lot of the time, actually. He spent more time with her than anyone. 

“Nate!” a voice called.

Nate looked up, and he was saved from the gaggle of girls as his eyes landed on Will, who was waving at him. 

All three of the girls pouted. “Bye, Maya!” one of the waitresses squealed. 

Nate breathed a sigh of relief and headed gratefully toward Will. As Nate grew closer, Will’s face lit up. 

“Hey,” Nate greeted breathlessly. “I’m so sorry I’m late. I either had to cancel or bring her. Jay just left her at the house with no warning-”

“This is Maya?” Will asked, unable to keep his question in any longer. 

“Yeah.” Nate hung the diaper bag over the back of his chair and readjusted so that the baby was sitting in his lap. “My brother had a showing, and Amy had another audition, so…”

“So you’re the nanny.”

Nate turned a little pink. “Basically. But I didn’t want to skip tonight.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.”

“So… you’re not mad that I brought her?”

“Mad?” Will echoed, finally looking away from the baby and to his boyfriend. “Why the hell would I be mad?”

Nate shrugged and looked down at her. “It was supposed to be just us.” Too afraid to see the expression on Will’s face, Nate busied himself by smoothing a hand over Maya’s wispy baby hair and fiddling with her tiny foot. He could feel her toes through her pink socks. “I’m sorry. It’s… She didn’t want to get in her carseat, and I had to give her a bottle before we even left the house, but then she drooled on her shirt, so I had to change her clothes, and then I had to put more stuff in the bag, but I couldn’t find the wipes, and-”

“Nate,” Will said firmly.

Nate swallowed nervously and glanced up.

“I’m really glad you brought her. Truly, I am.” He was so damn cute in his sweatsuit with his big muscles and his sharp jawline and a baby on his knee. Dear god. Will was so fucked.

Nate nodded unknowingly and looked back at his niece. She was staring at Will in wonder, and Nate lifted her up a few inches higher so she could get a better look at him. “That’s Will,” Nate said softly to her. “He’s nice.”

“Hi,” Will said, waving at the baby with a kind smile. 

Maya stuck her arm out, and Will reached for it before Nate could tell him he didn’t have to. Maya’s tiny hand wrapped tightly around Will’s middle finger, and he laughed brightly. “That’s quite a firm grip,” he mused. 

"Jay’s saying it’s only gonna be a matter of time before Dad tries to get her in the cage.”

“Oh yeah? And would Jay let her fight?”

“No,” Nate answered immediately. “I wouldn’t, either. And not cause she’s a girl." The whole world of MMA was fucking brutal. He didn't know how the hell Christina had agreed to let Alvey train the boys when they were little.

Will hummed but didn’t speak. He was too preoccupied with the baby. 

When the waiter came, he didn’t seem interested in Maya. Nate was glad. Jay loved showing her off, but Nate just wanted to keep things low-key. 

“You drinking?” Will asked.

Nate shook his head.

“Really?” he pressed, his eyebrows raised.

Nate shook his head again and glanced sideways at Maya. Will smiled and ordered a beer for himself and a glass of water with two lemons for Nate.

“So… do we get a kids’ menu for her or something?” Will asked once it was just them again. 

Nate snorted. He reached into the side pocket of the bag he’d brought and produced two little, purple, plastic containers. At the sight of them, Maya made a happy sound and bounced a bit on Nate’s lap. “Okay, shh, I know,” Nate mumbled to her. 

“What’s in there?” Will asked. 

Nate popped the lid off of one so Will could see. He picked a Cheerio up between his pointer finger and his thumb, and Maya expectantly opened her mouth like a baby bird. Nate placed the cereal on her tongue, and soon she was swallowing and opening her mouth for another one. 

Soon the drinks came, and then the food. Maya was in good spirits, so after Nate was finished eating, he asked Will if it was alright if he went to the bathroom. He’d only be gone a moment. Will agreed, so Nate leaned over to the high chair to kiss the side of Maya's forehead and made his way toward the back of the restaurant. 

Nate peed and washed his hands. And then - he couldn’t help it - checked his breath and made sure there was nothing stuck in his teeth. There wasn’t. 

He opened the bathroom door to head back to the table and recognized the sound of Maya’s cry above all the chatter. Shit. Nate picked up his pace significantly, but when he saw what was happening at the table, he couldn’t help but smile.

Will was literally sweating from the stress. It looked to Nate as though Will were trying to play some sort of impromptu game of peek-a-boo with his napkin. He lifted it up over his face and then dropped it back down with a big grin on his lips. Then he covered his face again. Maya was having none of it. When Will picked up his fork and spoon and started lightly tapping them together and singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Nate decided to come to the rescue. (He wasn’t sure who needed saving more, his niece or his boyfriend.)

“What the fuck are you doing?” Nate muttered to him, unable to wipe the smile off his face. 

“Help me,” Will begged. “She realized you were gone, and she just started screaming. Everyone’s staring at me," he said helplessly.

“Pick her up,” Nate chuckled, reaching down to get her out of the high chair. “Just pick her up, man. It’s not that fucking hard.”

“Yes, it fucking is!”

Nate shook his head. “You’re hopeless.”

“Don’t I know it,” Will sighed, exasperated.

Nate turned his attention to the baby. “Hey… hey, sweet girl. I’m here. I’m here. Shh-shh-shh…” He bounced her a little on her shoulder and sat back down in his chair. She hiccuped slightly, her cries subsiding quickly now that he had her in his arms. “I’ve got you, Maya. It’s okay. You’re okay. You’re okay. Shh, you’re okay.”

He moved her from his shoulder down to the way he used to hold her when she was a newborn. Her eyes were still watery, and her face was bright red, but she looked calm again. She’d be back to her normal self in a minute. 

“See?” Nate murmured as he ran his fingers lightly over her hair. “It’s okay. I’m here. I’ll never leave you.” He pressed one kiss to her forehead, and then another. “Never leave you,” he whispered, letting his eyes fall shut. “It’s okay. It’s okay now.”

When he opened his eyes, Will was looking at him with a soft expression and a smile so genuine that Nate felt like melting a little.

“What?” Nate asked, embarrassed. 

Will shook his head. “I’m so fucking in love with you.”

Nate bit his lip and turned his head away. Blush quickly creeped up his cheeks. 

“I am. I’ve… I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. Nate… I love you so much.”

Nate’s attempt to hide his smile was in vain; it stretched so wide that Will saw his teeth. 

“You’re fucking killing me tonight, you know that?” Will asked, shaking his head. He grinned.  “I already paid. You about ready to head to my place?” 

Nate nodded.

 

* * *

 

 

Nate left his car in the parking lot, and he brought the baby seat into Will’s car. The trip to his apartment was short. Maya stayed quiet and calm, but she got a little crabby as they pulled into the parking lot. 

Will pursed his lips nervously, but Nate confidently opened her door and shrugged out of his Navy Street sweatshirt. Maya relaxed when she saw him do it, and Will wondered what the hell was happening. 

Nate was whispering to her, and Will could hear him but not understand him. He was too quiet. He laid the sweatshirt down on the floorboard, unbuckled her, and laid her down on top of it so that her feet were tucked into the hood. After a moment of sweatshirt oragami, Maya was wrapped up happily in a bundle of Nate’s clothes. She pulled the cuff of his sleeve into her mouth, and he didn’t stop her from sucking on it, just rolled his eyes and scooped her up so he could shut the car door. “Anyone order a burrito?” he asked with a straight face.

Will laughed, and they started up to his apartment. “That’s brilliant.”

“I did it when she was brand new, and she loved it. Always makes her feel better.”

“I bet it’s cause you smell good.”

Nate scoffed.

“You do. Your sweatshirt must, too.”

He tried hard not to roll his eyes.

"You'd make a fucking good dad, Nate, you know that?" Will asked.

Nate's stomach turned happily, and he shrugged.

"Well, I do."

Upstairs, Will opened a gallon of ice cream. Nate took a few spoonfuls and then dipped his pinkie in and put it on Maya's tongue to let her have a taste. They laughed at the urgently excited expression on her face.  
  
“Amy doesn’t give her sugar,” Nate admitted. 

Soon, they were digging Will’s old boxing gloves out of his closet and putting them on Maya. They were huge, literally the same size she was, and Will was getting the biggest kick out of her trying to lift her arms up to look at them. They were way too heavy for her. 

Nate snapped a few pictures on his phone and sent them to Jay.

_Where are you two?_ Jay asked almost immediately.

_At a friend's place._ Nate replied. As an afterthought, he added, _Nothing bad._ _Swear to god._

_Friend?_ Jay inquired, accompanied by a waggling tongue emoji. 

_Fuck you_ , Nate responded.

_HA!_ Jay shot back. _So you DO have a boyfriend! I fucking knew it!_

Nate rolled his eyes and put his phone away. 

“Hey, Nate?” Will asked. 

Nate glanced over at him. 

“Can… um, would it be alright if I... can I hold her?”

Nate handed the baby carefully to Will. He moved one of Will’s hands to the right place and then nodded. Maya seemed happy enough, so Nate let go and watched Will cradling her in his arms. He suddenly understood Will’s reaction earlier in the evening. There was something primal awakening in Nate, some instinct that told him this was sexy, this was right. All species existed to procreate, right? And Will looked even more gorgeous holding a baby than he had mere minutes before.

Nate put on a movie to distract himself, and not only Nate, but Maya also, fell asleep, Maya in Will’s left arm, and Nate nestled comfortably under his right.


End file.
